zlacker

>>cwwc+(OP)
and then selling them at auction with 100,000 ... However, their real mileage was sometimes as much as four times the odometer readout

These numbers matter more here. The Cummins/Allison engine/drive-train in these vehicles are otherwise good for 1 million miles before rebuild on average until they are used as delivery trucks. The constant stopping and starting used as delivery trucks cuts that number down to around 480k miles. So they are selling vehicles that will require engine and transmission rebuilds in less than 80k miles. That's very shady. The engine rebuilds are usually around $10k same as a refurbished engine and the transmission rebuild is around $3k. That does not count the cost to install them.

>>LinuxB+M2
There's so much more than just the engine, though. I'm dealing with a bunch of aging issues on a car right now. A lot of this stuff won't even show for a few years down the road.

* Shocks and struts wear out

* Catalytic converters are a semi-wear item

* In winter states that use salt, rust absolutely destroys things. I've had the exhaust system rust through on all of my vehicles (simply happens with age).

* Seat cushions, steering wheel, and other high touch surfaces wear. Likely not an issue _now_, but means a few years down the road, these things will be broken.

* Engine accessories - belts, starters, alternators, pumps, etc. Everything is just a bit closer to it's failure point.

----

Most of these issues aren't particularly expensive on their own, but they add up. Further, your expected maintenance is wildly different.

>>SkyPun+V8
Salt (sodium chloride) is pretty rare anymore. It’s more expensive than another option.

Liquid magnesium chloride is the goto in most states now, and you’ll be happy to know it’s even worse!

>>SV_Bub+bk
I disagree that it's worse. From everything I've read about mag chloride it's still corrosive but much less so than traditional road salt.

>>_fat_s+6r
I work in automotive. I think it’s worse but in a different way.

Sodium chloride attacks exposed metal pretty badly.

Magnesium chloride seems to attack powdercoat, e-coat (electro dipped, all cars parts), and nickle coatings, as well as clear coat wet paint seemingly worse. Which then leaves spots exposed to rust. It seems to hang on to the vehicle and attack the entire winter. I’ve found that areas that switch to mag chloride have worse looking vehicles, so, imo, worse.

It’s also pretty awful for the environment.

>>SV_Bub+BE
It gets complicated.

The magnesium chloride ice melt (which contains other compounds too) has lower toxicity than sodium chloride. That is particularly important for plants and pets.

Rust inhibitors were things in road salt spreads in the past, but it is found that they can be very harmful to aquatic life ( https://onepetro.org/NACECORR/proceedings-abstract/CORR96/Al... ) so now they're generally not used ( https://www.cga.ct.gov/2014/rpt/2014-R-0001.htm )

>>shagie+sW
Everyone in the rust belts should be putting fluid film/woolwax/krown under their vehicles. I think decades of shady "rust proofing" sprayers that were either a scam or did more harm than good (plastic/rubber under coatings) have put people off of doing this but there are products now that work well.